Archive for the ‘Food’ Category
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Crafty Cheap Christmas Sweets
Generally, if you want to give a present that appeals to all ages, sexes and races and don’t have a budget of thousands of pounds, it has to conform to at least one of the holy trinity of gift ideals - impressiveness, cuteness or deliciousness. Case to point - in my previous post I told you all how to make a sockmonkey- a present that hits both the ‘aaah’ cute factor and - unless you are some stitching wizzkid - a certain amount of surprised adulation from your family that you actually made something other than a sandwich with your own fair hands.
In this post I am going to show you how to make three different types of edible Christmas treats, that when parcelled together with a bit of decoration can make a gift that is both impressive and yummy. Observe! My ginger biscuit, peppermint cream and chocolate truffle Christmas tree! (for want of a snappier name)
What do you need to make this sweetie stack?
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The Wine Show two for one ticket offer
If you fancy swirling, sniffing and sipping wines from across the globe, then head down to the Business Design Centre in Islington from Thursday and enjoy the variety of great wines on offer at The Wine Show.
The show brings together wine makers, merchants, and industry experts for a four day tasting event, giving wine lovers the chance to sample wines and learn more about wine in every aspect - from the latest trends to wine and food matching and different grape varieties. There’s also the opportunity to pick up fantastic bargains on the day. Read full post
Posted in Bargains & Markets, Food
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Visit to the Covent Garden Real Food Market
The Covent Garden Real Food Market is in full swing. If you haven’t yet stopped by the West End’s answer to Borough Market or Broadway Market, get thee to the east side of the piazza, and soon.
The Real Food Market at Covent Garden
I wandered over to the Real Food Market last Thursday at about one-thirty. I planned to grade it on three criteria: selection, quality, and price of food. Here’s the breakdown and a few individual recommendations… Read full post
Posted in Bargains & Markets, Food, Uncategorized
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Indian feast dinner party
For instalment three in my Dinner for six for under £30 challenge, I turned to my friend V for a lesson in Indian cookery. I love Indian food but it is emphatically not something I know how to cook at even a basic level.
As our party included a few vegetarians, V suggested a non-meat menu (thus ramping up the frugal factor even more). Our veggie feast included lentil dhal, curried courgettes, potatoes and peppers, basmati rice and, of course, plenty of naan bread.
Posted in Food
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The home preservation society
Back in the day, every girl knew how to make home preserves. These days, making your own gherkins, jams, relishes, etc isn’t just a quirky throwback skill, it’s also a way to stretch out the taste of summer long into the autumn and winter… and save a bit of cash while you’re at it.
My mum recently showed me how to make chutney. It’s not the speediest of ventures, but the results are delicious. What’s more, this oola mission is sure to save me money on my grocery bill (ok, a small savings there) and also come in handy at Christmas when I wrap up a jar with some biscuits as a festive little gift.
Posted in Food
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What’s the matter, cupcake?
Cupcakes -- trickier than they look
The other week my friend E asked me to help her out with a baking task – she was hosting a wine and tea party and she wanted to serve pretty little cupcakes for dessert, and also offer some as take-home gifts.
E had sussed out cupcakes at several bakeries, and whilst they looked and tasted lovely, at between £2 and £3 per cake, the price was a bit of a sticking-point.
Posted in Food
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Save on your daily cappuccino
Have you stopped picking up a cappuccino or latte on your way to work in a bid to save money? When you consider the cost of a daily cappuccino can total £500 throughout the year, it makes perfect financial sense to minimize such lavish spending on coffee consumption. After all, there are far better ways to spend £500!
While avoiding the temptation of the coffee house is great for cash flow, a girl still needs her caffeine high, or at least this girl does, but the question is, what constitutes a suitable replacement? There is of course the trusty cafetière. Handy in the home and office, especially if you’re making coffee for a crowd, although I find the cleaning involved can be a little tiresome…
For those times when you don’t want to mess about with the whole brewing business, then these sachets of instant, yes, I did say instant, coffee from Starbucks may be just what you’re looking for. Available in Colombian and Italian Roast flavours, the coffee has a full-bodied taste, and is a great alternative to ground coffee. Read full postPosted in Food, Uncategorized
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Gorgeous lunch for a fiver: Wok to Walk
I’m still hot on the trail of tasty lunches for fewer than five pounds, although I have to admit that my quest is becoming increasingly difficult. But lucky for us, I’ve got some serious snack-detecting skills under my hat.
Today’s gorgeous lunch for a fiver comes from Wok to Walk, a groovy little noodle place in Soho, but there are actually branches all over the world. (Technical note: although my lunch came in at under a fiver, I cannot comment on international pricing policies!)
Posted in Food
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Sometimes you just need a treat
It’s been a long week over here chez Sassy – a good week, but a distinctly exhausting week. For this reason, I had one thing on my mind come Friday afternoon: cake.
To celebrate the beginnings of good things, the ends of bad things and the general Friday-ness of it all, I took a similarly exhausted and in-need-of-sugarspun-love friend to my favourite patisserie in all of London – Maison Bertaux.
Posted in Food
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Roast chicken dinner party
The other weekend I had some friends round for instalment two of my dinner party challenge – to feed (and ideally impress) six for under £30. I was a little nervous — sure, I did a girlie sushi dinner party once before… but could I feed two hungry marathoners, three muscle-bound rowers and, erm, myself? Yes, yes I could!
This time I opted for roast chicken with some seasonal side dishes. Now, I know roast chicken isn’t the most summery of foods, but let’s be honest — England in late July isn’t always the most summery of places.
Posted in Food
